Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shoulder mounted percussion instrument carrier for one or an array of drums of various sizes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrier for one or more drums and replaces traditional “J” rods components. The elimination of the “J” rod components eliminates the interference with the user's legs and more particularly the user's thighs and provides a more natural stride of the user. Since the vertical or horizontal slots or saddle are not holes, that are commonly found with “J” rod carriers, the drum mounting structure can be repositioned or translated within the vertical or horizontal slots. The carrier allows the drum to be rigidly mounted in a variety of positions relative to the user. The mounting consists of a plurality of sliding connections that move independently from any adjustments from the carrier. The cantilevered weight of the drum(s) locks the drums into a vertical or horizontal slots or saddle. The structure also eliminates the necessity of a structurally rigid fixed abdomen plate and allows for use of a flexible and conforming abdomen plate.
Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The prior art discloses examples of carriers using “J”-rods on an instrument carrier to support one or an array of drums. A number of drum holding apparatus have been patented and used, but none provide the combination of features disclosed and claimed herein.
La Flame U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,683 discloses a carrier for percussion instruments having an abdominal plate connected at one end of a unitary frame partly encircling the wearer at the waist and having an upstanding rear portion pivotally connected to a back pressure plate. Shoulder bars are connected to the back-pressure plate and wrap about shoulders and support straps connect to the abdominal plate.
Hsieh U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,610 shows a carrier for percussion instruments having a “T” bar, a pair of shoulder bars, and a belly plate. The shoulder bars are bolted on a lateral plate of the “T” bar. The lateral plate has arc-like slots and spaced semi-circular holes permit bolts to slide in the slots. The fastening end of each shoulder bar has a hole and an arc-like slot from the upper portion to the lower portion permitting angular adjustment of the shoulder rightward or leftward for various applications.
La Flame U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,032 shows a carrier for various instruments such as marching bells, a marching xylophone or a marching marimba, which are supported on the apparatus by the use of suitably-constructed extension arms. The carrier frame is a U-shaped bent bar welded or otherwise attached to a belly plate and has extension arms, which project from the belly plate to engage and support the instrument.
La Flame GB patent 2,123,676 (based on U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,442) discloses a carrier for percussion instruments or the like which includes the combination of a belly plate with a carrier bracket for supporting an instrument at an outwardly-overhung position about a fulcrum area of contact with the front waistline area of the person, a rigid band with a generally bent contour to extend along a portion of the waistline area of the person to the back of the person, a back-plate riser arm supported by the ban to extend in a generally upward direction such that a portion of the arm will extend along the back thoracic region of the person, and means carried by the arm for imparting to the thoracic back region of the person a reactive force to the overhung weight of the instrument about the aforesaid means forming a fulcrum area of contact with the person.
Various patents from the applicant May have been issued covering carriers with “J” rods or similar attachment mechanisms for securing musical instruments, patents with this type of mechanism are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,492, 6,028,257, 6,323,407, 6,329,583, 6,172,290, 6,403,869, 6,770,805, 6,881,886, 7,071,401, and published applications US2005/0040,193, US2006/0096,443, US2005/0103,183 and US2005/0183,565, but none of these disclose the carrier structure disclosed within this application.
Various prior inventions have been disclosed that attempt to provide mounting for one or a plurality of drums. Most of these products have the drum(s) fixed to the carrier or use “J” rods to secure the drum(s) to the carrier. These carriers have limitations that require an abdominal plate that is an integral part of the carrier. Because of the mechanical structure of these carriers they restrict or alter natural walking or rapid stride movement of the user. The proposed carrier provides improvements that eliminate the aforementioned limitations.